The small village of Greenleaf nestled among three hills, a patchwork of fields stretching out around it. Thatched roofs and wooden buildings huddled together. In the distance, workers toiled under the hot sun as they tended to the crops.

In one of the larger fields, a group of farmers worked diligently, their backs bent as they moved through rows of plants. A middle-aged man stood at the edge of the field, his arms crossed as he observed their efforts with a critical eye. This was Yu Fen, a former disciple of the Azure Sky Sect.

Yu Fen's graying hair was tied back in a simple ponytail, and his clothes, while of decent quality, showed signs of wear. As he watched the workers, his lips pressed into a thin line.

"You there!" he called out to a young man struggling with a hoe. "Put your back into it! You're barely scratching the surface."

The worker nodded quickly, redoubling his efforts. Yu Fen shook his head, muttering under his breath. "Useless, the lot of them..."

If only I had broken through to Foundation Establishment, he thought bitterly. I wouldn't be stuck here, managing these peasants.

Behind Yu Fen stood two men, both in their early twenties. They were his followers, cultivators who had attached themselves to the former disciple in hopes of learning from him. Both were at the Qi Refining Stage 7, a respectable level for those outside a major sect.

"Master Yu," one of them spoke up. "Should we demonstrate the proper technique to the workers?"

Yu Fen waved a dismissive hand. "Don't waste your energy, Liang. These fools barely have the capacity to understand basic farming, let alone the intricacies of Qi-enhanced labor."

The other follower, a stocky man named Mu, nodded in agreement. "You're right, Master. It's best to save our strength for more important tasks."

As they stood there, a commotion began to stir in the village. People were gathering, pointing and whispering. Yu Fen's eyes narrowed as he spotted the cause of the excitement - a young man in white robes walking purposefully through the village.

"An Azure Sky Sect disciple?" Mu muttered.

Yu Fen's jaw clenched. "Outer Disciple, by the look of his robes. What business does he have here?"

They watched as the newcomer made his way towards their field. As he drew closer, Yu Fen could see that he was quite young, probably no more than sixteen or seventeen. The boy's eyes scanned the area, finally settling on Yu Fen and his followers.

"Greetings," the young man said as he approached, bowing politely. "My name is Chen Wei. I'm looking for Yu Fen. Might that be you, sir?"

Yu Fen raised an eyebrow, studying the boy. "I am Yu Fen. What brings an Outer Disciple of the Azure Sky Sect to our humble village?"

Chen Wei straightened, a polite smile on his face. "I've heard about some of the materials you're selling, sir. My master is interested in making a purchase."

His master? Yu Fen thought, intrigued. An Inner Disciple, perhaps?

Out loud, he said, "Is that so? And who might your master be?"

Chen Wei hesitated for a moment before responding. "I'm afraid I'm currently not at liberty to say, sir. But I can assure you, he's very interested in doing business."

Yu Fen nodded slowly, his mind working. He gestured to Liang and Mu, who immediately moved to stand behind him. The subtle show of force wasn't lost on Chen Wei, whose eyes flickered briefly to the two men.

Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

"Well, Chen Wei," Yu Fen said, his tone casual, "I'm afraid you may have wasted a trip. You see, I already have plenty of customers for my goods. In fact, demand has been so high that I'm not sure I see the point in selling at my old prices anymore."

Chen Wei's brow furrowed slightly. "I see. Well, perhaps we could discuss a new price that would be beneficial for both parties?"

Yu Fen smiled, but there was no warmth in it. "Of course, of course. Why don't we step into my office and talk numbers?"

As they walked towards a small building at the edge of the field, Yu Fen's mind raced. This could be an opportunity. If this boy's master is truly influential, a favorable deal could open new doors. But if not...

Inside the cramped office, Yu Fen settled behind a desk while Chen Wei took a seat across from him. Liang and Mu remained standing, flanking the door.

"Now then," Yu Fen began, leaning forward. "Let's talk business. What exactly are you looking to purchase, and in what quantities?"

Chen Wei pulled out a small notebook, consulting it briefly. "We're interested in Spirit Grass, Yin Berries, and Qi Crystals. Ideally, enough to produce around twenty low-quality Qi Gathering pills."

Yu Fen's eyebrows shot up. "Twenty? That's quite an order for an Outer Disciple's master. Are you sure you have the spirit stones to cover such a purchase?"

Chen Wei nodded confidently. "My master has provided me with sufficient funds, sir. Now, about the price..."

What followed was a back-and-forth negotiation that lasted nearly half an hour. Chen Wei proved to be surprisingly adept for his age, countering Yu Fen's inflated prices with well-reasoned arguments and alternative offers.

This boy is no fool, Yu Fen thought grudgingly. He's been well-trained.

As their discussion wore on, Yu Fen found himself growing increasingly frustrated. Chen Wei refused to budge beyond a certain point, and the price he was offering, while fair, wasn't the windfall Yu Fen had hoped for.

Finally, Yu Fen slammed his hand on the desk. "Enough! I've entertained this long enough. My final offer is 500 spirit stones for the lot. Take it or leave it."

Chen Wei frowned. "I'm sorry, sir, but that's simply too high. My master was very clear about the maximum we could spend. The price should be around 300 spirit stones. Perhaps we could-"

"Perhaps," Liang cut in, "you should consider your position more carefully, little Outer Disciple."

Chen Wei turned to look at him. "Excuse me?"

Mu stepped forward, cracking his knuckles. "What my friend means is that you're awfully far from the safety of your sect, boy. It might be wise to show some... flexibility in your negotiations."

Yu Fen watched Chen Wei carefully, noting the flicker of fear that passed across the young man's face. Good. Let him sweat a little.

"Now, now," Yu Fen said, his tone deceptively mild. "There's no need for threats. I'm sure Chen Wei understands the delicate nature of his situation. After all, we have some very powerful backers in this region as well as in the sect. It would be a shame if an accident were to befall such a promising young cultivator."

Chen Wei's eyes darted between the three men, his earlier confidence evaporating. "I... I don't understand. Are you threatening me?"

Yu Fen spread his hands in a gesture of mock innocence. "Threatening? Not at all. Simply explaining how things work out here in the real world. The sect won't care if a single Outer Disciple goes missing, you know. It happens all the time."

Chen Wei swallowed hard, then seemed to steel himself. "My master is a Legacy Disciple of the Azure Sky Sect. If anything happens to me-"

The laughter that erupted from Yu Fen and his followers cut Chen Wei off mid-sentence. Yu Fen wiped a tear from his eye, shaking his head.

"Oh, you poor, naive boy," he said. "Do you think I don't know how it is? I was an Outer Disciple once, long ago. I know all about the lies and exaggerations you tell to make yourselves feel important."

Chen Wei's face reddened. "It's not a lie! My master really is-"

"Enough!" Yu Fen roared, all pretense of friendliness gone. His aura flared, the oppressive weight of a Qi Refining Stage 9 cultivator filling the small room. Chen Wei gasped, visibly struggling under the pressure.

"Let me explain how this is going to work," Yu Fen said, his voice dangerously soft. "You're going to hand over all the spirit stones you brought with you. In exchange, I might consider letting you leave here in one piece. Understand?"

Chen Wei's eyes widened in panic. "But... but I can't! The spirit stones aren't mine, they belong to my master! Please, you don't understand-"

Yu Fen stood abruptly, his chair scraping against the floor. "I understand perfectly. You came here thinking you could play with the big boys, and now you're in over your head. It's time you learned a harsh lesson about the cultivation world, boy."

With a burst of Qi-enhanced speed, Yu Fen vanished from behind the desk and reappeared directly in front of Chen Wei, who had no idea how things had escalated so far.

The young disciple's eyes barely had time to widen before Yu Fen's fist came hurtling towards his face.

But the blow never landed.